Hey there, it's Ted -- I wanted to reach out and officially introduce myself. I'm the new digital organizing manager at All On The Line and part of my job is building the volunteer infrastructure. That's why I'm inviting you to join the official AOTL volunteer team.
To achieve fair maps, we'll need to be proactive instead of reactive. I say this because as a North Carolinian, I've seen map manipulators in action -- and they thrive when there's no accountability.
If we only take cues from the latest headlines, it might seem as if it's already too late to make a difference. But that's just not true. The fact is -- not a single line has been drawn yet. And until the maps are official, there's always an opportunity to make them fairer. I saw this first hand in 2019 when the courts had legislators in North Carolina fix our most egregiously gerrymandered districts.
Before joining the All On The Line team as the digital organizing manager, I was an AOTL volunteer. And thanks to the training and resources from North Carolina State Director Lekha Shupeck, I felt emboldened (and prepared!) to actively hold state legislators accountable during the redraw.
Our democracy will only survive if we fight for it -- and fight for it before politicians start drawing maps. Sign up to join the All On The Line volunteer team. We'll keep you updated on the latest ways to get involved in your state.
Earlier this week, A.G. Holder joined our monthly call with all the AOTL volunteers and emphasized that this grassroots movement understands something really fundamental about this country -- that it is up to each of us to make a better future possible. My time as a grassroots volunteer proves that he's absolutely right. I started my fight to end gerrymandering by attending an AOTL volunteer training. Never would I have thought I'd soon be working to make volunteer opportunities like that one happen all across the country.
And if there's one lesson I've learned from my experiences with All On The Line, it's that grassroots supporters and volunteers truly are the engine that keeps this train moving. The success of this movement doesn't depend on me and my coworkers -- or even A.G. Holder -- it really depends on all of us raising our voices now before redistricting begins and staying engaged throughout the process.
If we wait to step up only after the pundits start sounding the alarm, it'll be too late. Will you sign up to join our volunteer team? We need to grow our movement before 2021 because grassroots supporters are the last line of defense to achieving fair maps.
Talk with you soon,
Ted Corcoran
AOTL Digital Organizing Manager
